Presenter and historian David Olusoga is to receive a Bafta award for his outstanding contribution to television.
Bafta said the University of Manchester professor, who presented BBC Two's A House Through Time, will be honoured at its TV Awards ceremony on 14 May.
The award, one of the charity's highest honours, has previously been given to film and TV stars Idris Elba and Sir Lenny Henry and presenter Clive James.
Prof Olusoga said it was "humbling" to have his work "recognised in this way".
The
historian has become a familiar face to many through his work on a
number of BBC series, which include Civilisations, Black and British: A
Forgotten History and A House through Time, and his appearances on BBC
One's The One Show.
'Inspiring'
Prof
Olusoga, who was born in Nigeria and grew up in Gateshead, has
previously spoken about how working in TV was "the best job in the
world", but also had sometimes his career left him feeling "crushed, isolated," and "disempowered".
The
special award will be his second from Bafta, as his 2015 series,
Britain's Forgotten Slave Owners, won the specialist factual category at
the charity's ceremony in 2016.
The
historian, who began his TV career five years after graduating from the
University of Liverpool in 1994, said he was "honoured" to get the
special award.
"It is humbling to have my work in television, as both a producer and a presenter, recognised in this way," he added.
Bafta
chief executive Jane Millichip said the historian had made an
"outstanding contribution, not just to the television community, but to
our society and culture".
She
said his "commitment and bravery in reappraising how history is
presented through television is inspiring" and he represented "the best
of what television can do, [showing] its power to inspire, educate and
challenge".
